Toby did it again. It was another shouting match, just the two of them screaming at each other like an echo with an opposition. Toby was done. He had shoved all his things into a bag, the suit he liked to wear which are now wrinkled, the baseball signed by Yankee's pitcher CC Sabathia, his leather bound journal some uncle of his had sent in when he said he wanted to be a writer, and a few political books like On Liberty by John Stewart Mills. It's a small bound blue book he found in a really shabby bookstore that didn't know the value of what they had.
He wasn't running away so much as he was kicked out. He knew it was bound to happen so he kept everything he needed hidden under his bed. He was in times square sitting carefully in a red chair waiting for someone to yell at him. He flipped through the money he concealed in the inside pocket of his coat. He was sure he had enough to make it to his friend's, Josh Lyman. They had met at boarding school, though Toby had gotten expelled toward the end of last school year. It was a jewish school and Toby had led a demonstration of gay and transgender pride through the campus. The head of the school was not pleased to say the least. The problem was his very aggressive speech in which he announced by jewish law all the religious are sinners and by biblical law would deserve to be stoned.
Josh Lyman no longer attended that school anyway. He lives with a friend of the family in DC after his parents passed away. Toby couldn't call Josh and let him know that he'd be coming over. Toby's dad had smashed his phone against the wall, he was angry because his son was always talking to his staff, he had been president at his school. He would take calls during shabbat.
Toby figured he'd just take his chance and show up. He had told Josh his fears and Josh had offered his floor, or rather he said he'd sleep on the floor and that Toby could take the bed.
Toby slinked off to the bus station. He had one hand in his bag wrapped around the brass knuckles he had purchased for such a purpose. The night settles in and the hardened people of New York slump onto the streets. Toby has lived year so he knew not to freak out or anything.
He easily bought a ticket and hunkered down in his seat on the bus. He massaged his arm where his father threw him out on the street with the force of a greek god. His brother David brought out his bag after he had put some food in it.
Toby unwrapped and bit into a pop tart. He leaned his head against the window which was fogging up because of the exhaust. He shot off when he saw the figure of his younger brother through the window. David stepped on board, his brown hair crinkled in coils. Toby stood.
"What are you doing here?" he rasped.
"I want to come with you Toby." David pleaded with his doe eyes.
"David you can't."
"Why not?"
"Because Dad wants you. He doesn't want me. You have to go home."
"But I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too. But we can write in secret until I can afford a phone. I'll send the letters to Rabbi for you. Come on."
They walk off the bus, Toby turns to the bus driver, "I'll be back I just have to make sure my brother gets home."
Toby takes David's cell phone and calls their Rabbi.
"Rabbi, I'm at the bus station with David. Yes. No. I'm going to a friend's house, I just need someone to pick up David. Ok, ok yeah. Thank you sir, goodbye."
Toby find the security guard who's a friend of their Rabbi.
"Hey, it's Toby isn't it?" aks the security guard whose name Toby forgets.
"Yes it is. This is my brother David. I have a bus to catch, would you be able to watch him until the Rabbi gets here?"
"Yes I can do that. You're not running away are you?"
"I'm visiting a friend it could all blow over in a week." Toby said even though he didn't believe it for a second.
The guard nodded and Toby said his thanks. The bus chugged forward, Toby ran yelling. The bus stopped and he jumped on and shot a subtle glare towards the driver. Toby watched as his twelve year old brother waved goodbye to him.
Toby didn't know how to feel. He already felt better being away from his dad but sitting there watching his brother through a dirty window it just didn't feel right. And of course a boy younger than his brother had to sit down next to him. Just another reminder how much of a failure Toby was.
The boy he was desperately trying to ignore turned to him. "Hi, I'm Sam Seaborn. What's your name?"
Toby slammed his head against the headrest of his seat. "Toby Zeigler."
"You're going to DC too?"
"Yeah." Toby looked over at the kid he was a starry wide eyed dreamer. That's just what he needed. He looked around, he didn't see the kid's parents anywhere. Then he saw the red white and blue backpack at the kid's feet.
"Sam, are you running away?"
Sam knocked his feet together and nibbled his lip. "Um no… I'm travelling to um my uh grandmother's!"
Toby chuckled, "Woah Sam. You are an awful liar. Seriously are you running away?"
Sam suspired, "Alright. Yes, I'm running away from my foster home. Don't tell anyone!"
Toby closed his eyes for a moment and sighed. He really hated people a lot of the time.
"Is that who gave you that bruise around your neck?"
Sam looked down, a few tears splashed on his lap, "Yes."
"Why are you going to DC?"
"My Dad doesn't want me."
"Neither does mine."
"Is that who gave you that black eye?"
Toby crossed his arms and began counting the hair strands.
"Yes."
Sam rubbed his eyes and sniffled.
"Don't worry kid, tell me where you're headed."
"My pen pal's place." Sam murmured his feet on his seat and his face tucked into his knees.
"Where does he live?"
Sam looked over at him his eyes growing twice in size. Toby swore that the kid's eyes couldn't possibly get larger but he was proven wrong.
"Alright, what's your pen pal's name?"
"Joshua Lyman."
Toby did a double take. "I'm sorry. Did you say Joshua Lyman? Reddish brown hair, frizzy, about this tall?"
Sam sat up, "You know him?"
"Yeah he's my friend. That's where I'm headed. I'll make sure that we both get there. We're a team now. OK?"
"Like Caesar and Mark Antony?"
"Well that was a weird analogy but yeah I guess. Wait. Am I Caesar?"
"Well you're older but I'm more emperor like."
Toby shook his head and guffawed. Sam smiled. Somehow they ended up on the topic of martial law in the case of a mass shooting or terrorist attack.
"No! Sam!"
"Toby if we make everyone a suspect then everyone becomes a suspect then it's back to Hobbes, everyone trying to kill each other or rat someone out because they might have done something wrong."
"Let us hope weapons are never needed- but do not forget what the common people of this nation knew when they demanded the bill of rights: An armed citizenry is the first defense, the best defense, and the final defense against tyranny. Edward Abbey."
"Did you just quote Edward Abbey?"
"Yes."
"An anarchist is your best argument for government infringing on rights in times of crises?"
"Yes."
"So?"
"I was really hoping you didn't know who Edward Abbey was."
"I admire his fight for environmental issues."
"Aren't you like eight? How do you know who he was?"
"I'm eight and two months and twenty seven days."
"And?"
"And Josh sent it to me for my birthday."
"Of course he did."
Sam fell asleep on Toby sometime after that leaving Toby wonder what was going to happen. Who knows if Josh's dads would let them stay? Toby sighed he'd just have to think on his feet. Would they send both Toby and Sam back to their homes? Toby hoped not he didn't want to go back. It was likely child services would be called. He just hoped that they'd find Sam a good home. Toby's eyes fluttered. He fell asleep.
The driver woke them up. Toby dragged Sam, who was still half asleep, from the bus. It was 2:30 AM at Union Station. Sam stiffened.
"Toby, it's really dark. What if something happens?"
"Like what?" Toby asked pretty sure of the kind of answer he was going to get.
"Like… like a cannibal." Sam hunched over, his breathing increased.
"Like a cannibal. It's fine just stay away from K St."
"What's on K St.?" breathed Sam.
"Children eating werewolves." Toby answered in a creepy voice.
Sam fumbled in his backpack. He pulled out a heavy duty police flashlight. Toby believed the kid was ready to whip it at anything that came within ten feet of him.
Toby looked over at Sam, the kid shone the light in Toby's face. Toby's hand flew up.
"Ah kid don't point that at me!"
Sam shrunk away. Toby realized what he did wrong.
"I'm sorry Sam, I was blocking the light. I shouldn't have yelled at you. OK?"
"Ok." Sam breathed.
They continued walking past pastel staggered buildings then shops and assorted buildings. Toby and Sam crossed to the other side of the street when Toby noticed a man stumbling towards them. He pulled Sam closer. When the man crossed the street from where they were walking, the two boys began to walk faster. Toby couldn't afford to put Sam at risk. A man stepped out from the shadows and halted their progress. The other man caught up to them.
Toby had his hand in his bag.
"We don't want any trouble gentlemen." Toby cautioned.
"My, my, we're gentlemen now. We've come to collect. Give us your money."
"OK." Toby uses his other hand to pull out his money. But things go wrong. One of the guys with a crocodile smile put his hands on Sam. Sam began to freak out.
"Hey! Don't touch him!" Toby bellowed. The guy in front of toby grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. Sam kicked the one holding him in the family jewels. Toby punched his gut with his brass knuckles then he slammed the brass in the face of the guy who was bothering Sam.
"Run Sam!" Yelled Toby propelling him forward. Sam was crying. Toby shouted for help. They were nearing a black gate with guards outside. Toby and Sam stood near them, the guards pulled out their guns. The two thugs ran off the other direction. The guards mumbled into their earpiece. The two men weren't able to escape.
Toby looked over at the White House where Josh was fast asleep in hi bed in the residence. Toby tried to catch his breath he looked up at the secret service.
"Josh Lyman is our friend. We're here to see him. It's Toby Ziegler and Sam Seaborn."